1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information network system for causing communications to be made between a plurality of functional appliances connected to data transfer paths and, more particularly, to the information network system which is simple in construction and convenient to use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in an information network system, there is adopted a construction wherein a plurality of functional appliances are connected to data transfer paths and communications are made between the plurality of functional appliances through the data transfer paths.
And, when controlling the operation and stop of a functional appliance from another functional appliance, transmission/reception of a command are performed between these a functional appliances.
More specifically, in the above-described information network system, a plurality of route hubs are provided and these route hubs are connected to one another by the data transfer paths in the form of a ring. And communications are performed between these route hubs.
A more specific explanation will now be given of the above-described construction by taking as a representative example a construction wherein a first to a fourth route hub are provided.
First, a first node is connected to the first route hub through a common command conversion part. It is assumed that this first node is used as a human interface (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cHIxe2x80x9d).
The HI alternatively selects a CD and DVD as later described and transmits thereto a HI command that corresponds to xe2x80x9cPLAYxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cSTOPxe2x80x9d or the like of the selected CD or DVD.
Subsequently, the common command conversion parts converts the HI command sent from the HI to a common command which has been made common regarding the operation contents such as PLAY or STOP for each functional appliance such as CD or DVD irrespective of the maker, type and the like. It is to be noted that such common command is determined for each function.
And this HI has a switching function for switching the data transfer path.
Next, a second node is connected to the second route hub. It is assumed that this second node is used as a compact disk (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cCDxe2x80x9d) which is a functional appliance.
This CD transmits CD data as the source data to the second route hub. A first mutual conversion part is provided between the CD and the second route hub.
Next, a third node is connected to the third route hub. It is assumed that this third node is used as a digital video disk (called also a digital versatile disk and hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cDVDxe2x80x9d) which is a functional appliance.
This DVD transmits DVD video data and audio data as the source data to the third route hub. And a second mutual conversion part is provided between the DVD and the third route hub.
And a fourth and a fifth node are connected to the fourth route hub. This fourth node is assumed as a monitor which is a functional appliance and the fifth node is assumed as a speaker (including an amplifier) which is a functional appliance.
This monitor receives the DVD video data from the fourth route hub. And a third mutual conversion part is provided between the monitor and the fourth hub.
Also, the speaker receives the CD audio data and DVD audio data from the fourth route hub. And a fourth mutual conversion part is provided between the speaker and the fourth route hub.
It is to be noted that each of the first to the fourth mutual conversion part converts the function command from its own node to a common command and transmits the common command obtained by conversion to its own route hub.
Also, each of the first to the fourth mutual conversion part converts the common command from its own route hub to a function command and transmits the function command obtained by conversion to its own node.
In the above-constructed information network system, when the HI has selected, for example, the DVD and has selected xe2x80x9cPLAYxe2x80x9d, the HI command having these selected contents is sent to the common command conversion part by which the HI command is converted to the common command.
And the first route hub transmits this common command to the third route hub through the data transfer paths and the third route hub receives this common command and its corresponding second mutual conversion part converts the common command to the function command and then sends it to the DVD.
Accordingly, the DVD can be PLAYed.
However, in such a case, in the common command conversion part of the transmission side HI, the HI command should be converted to the common command and, in the mutual conversion part of the reception side DVD, the common command should be converted to the function command.
Namely, the use of the common command conversion part and mutual conversion part is needed for the purpose of controlling the operation and stop of a certain functional appliance. This makes the information network system complex.
An object of the present invention is to provide an information network system which is simple in construction, inexpensive and convenient to use.
To attain the above object, the information network system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of functional appliances, a plurality of relaying appliances provided respectively with respect to the plurality of functional appliances, a data transfer path for enabling the plurality of relaying appliances to be communicated with each other, an operation unit or part for selecting a desired functional appliance from among the plurality of functional appliances so as to select a desired function from among a plurality of functions of the selected functional appliance, and a command conversion part provided between a predetermined functional appliance of the plurality of functional appliances and the relaying appliance corresponding to the predetermined functional appliance and having a command conversion table having stored therein function commands corresponding to the functions of the plurality of functional appliances.
Here, the relaying appliance can transmit the data from the functional appliance corresponding to this relaying appliance to the data transfer path and can receive the data from the functional appliance other than that corresponding to the relaying appliance through the data transfer path.
And, the command conversion part reads out the function command corresponding to the function of the functional appliance selected using the operation part by referring to the command conversion table.
Namely, in the above-described construction, there is provided the command conversion part and this makes it possible to construct the information network system which is simple in construction, inexpensive and convenient to use. And, because of the simpleness and easiness of this construction, there can be prepared the information network system whose software design and hardware design are easy.
In this case, the convenience of use is more enhanced if the command conversion table has stored previously therein the function commands corresponding to a plurality of functions of each of the plurality of functional appliances for each type and/or each maker of each of the plurality of functional appliances.
Also, the convenience of use is more enhanced if the command conversion table has stored previously therein the function commands corresponding to a plurality of functions of each of the plurality of the functional appliances that can be installed in the information network system.
Also, if the operation part is set as a concentration control operation part, since the concentration control operation part is only required to be one in number, the construction becomes simpler and easier to use.
And, in a case where the concentration control part is provided, the command conversion table has stored previously therein the commands corresponding to the operations of the concentration control operation part in correspondence with the function commands, it is possible to execute reliable desired functions in correspondence with such operations.
Also, in a case where the concentration control part is provided, the predetermined functional appliance switches the path of transfer of the data in correspondence with the function of the functional appliance selected by the concentration control operation part, and the respective functional appliances can be independently controlled using the concentration control part, whereby a desired function can be executed efficiently and reliably. It is to be noted that this switching of the path is performed by the switching operation of the relaying appliance.
Here, the predetermined functional appliance may switch the path of transfer of the data by a path command contained in the function command.
On the other hand, the plurality of functional appliances may each be also provided with a functional operation section, whereby direct operations with respect to the functional appliance become possible.
In a case where the functional operation section is provided to each functional appliance in this way, each of the plurality of functional appliances may produce the command in correspondence with the operation of its corresponding operation section and transmit to the predetermined functional appliance the path command associated with the changeover of the path of the data, and the predetermined functional appliance may switch the path of transfer of the data in correspondence with the path command.
In a case where the functional operation section is provided to each functional appliance, each of the plurality of relaying appliances may switch the path of transfer of the data in correspondence with the function of the functional appliance selected using its corresponding operation section.